Joey Barton in court charged with sending offensive messages to Jeremy Vine and Lucy Ward

Chester: So, Joey Barton showed up in court recently, but it was all done over video link. He’s facing some serious charges for sending nasty messages on social media to Lucy Ward and Jeremy Vine.

The former footballer, who played for teams like Manchester City and Newcastle, was supposed to be there in person. But his lawyer said he couldn’t make it because he was busy with the kids.

The charges say he sent these offensive messages to Ward between early January and to Vine from January to March last year. They’re claiming the messages were meant to upset them, which is pretty harsh.

Barton, who lives in Widnes, said he’s not guilty of these charges. His case is moving to Liverpool Crown Court, where he’ll also face trial for sending mean messages to another pundit, Eni Aluko.

It all started after a match where Aluko and Ward were on TV, and Barton made some pretty wild comparisons in his tweets. The judge let him go on bail, and he’s set to appear again in February. It’s definitely a situation to keep an eye on!